Apple releases iPhone / iPod Touch SDK

On Thursday Steve Jobs officially unveiled the SDK (Software Development Kit) that will be released for writing software to work with Apple's iPhone and various iPod Touch models. During his presentation at the company's Cupertino, California headquarters he demonstrated a number of programs written by developers who were given advance copies of the SDK.

Despite the underlying OS X operating system powering both the iPhone and iPod Touch, until now Apple has insisted that developers concentrate on web applications, using the built in Safari browser as an interface. Installing software on the devices currently requires a process called Jailbreaking be performed, which takes advantage of a security hole to add a third party application installer which is then used to install additional software. With the availability of the SDK many developers will be able to write iPhone applications.

The SDK includes support for corporate products from Salesforce.com and Cisco, and even integration with Microsoft's Exchange Server, which Apple is touting as superior to the way Blackberrys (from competitor Research In Motion) connect.

Although programs written with the SDK will be compatible with the iPod Touch, as well as the iPhone, iPod owners will have to buy an upgrade in order to take advantage of them. No price has been announced for the upgrade.